Review by Brian McLean
Mention the phrase German Thrash Metal and without any hesitation three bands shall come to mind. Kreator, Sodom and Destruction are those bands who have been carrying that German banner for 25 years or more. Make note of the AFM Records release titled The Curse of the Antichrist: Live in Agony, Destruction delivers a proper and fitting history of their classics audio form.
The two CD set features a pair of scorching performances captured live with the first being Destruction’s legendary 2007 set Wacken and then more recently, their set in Tokyo from the D.E.V.O.U.T.I.O.N. Tour which supported their latest studio release of the same title.
The disc is crammed with vintage Destruction tracks stretching back to the band’s debut EP Sentence of Death with “Mad Butcher” through more the recent releases of The Antichrist (Thrash Til Death,” “Nailed to the Cross) Metal Discharge (“Metal Discharge”), Inventor of Evil (“Soul Collector”), Thrash Anthems and D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. (“Devolution”). The track listing will sure satisfy any Destruction fan and hook those unfamiliar with the band with the sheer intensity that has been corralled for the ears.
There’s more to the discs than just the two recorded performances by Destruction such as the first of several bonuses that sees guest appearances from Blitz of Overkill, Angelripper of Sodom, Oddlief of Communic and Peavy of Rage, who join Destruction on a blistering version “The Alliance of Hellhounds” during the Wacken 2007 set.
Disc 2 sees a Destruction family reunion of sorts with a medley of “The Anti-Christ / Reject Emotions / Thrash Till Death which sees former drummers Oliver Kaisel and Sven Vormann ripping up the drum kits alongside with current drummer Marc Reign. Following the three kits of mayhem, another former drummer, Tommy Senmann joins in on vocals for “Total Disaster,” which also sees the return of former guitarist Harry Wilkens.
With a career that has spanned as long as Destruction’s, it would be hard to imagine an unfamiliar metal fan to the world of Destruction but there is one out there somewhere. With that said, The Curse of the Antichrist: Live in Agony would be a quick cram course in the history of this legendary German Thrash Metal act.
For more information on Destruction:
Official Site
Myspace